Teamsters Leaders Warn Members Against Studios' 'Fear-Mongering Tactics'

The Teamsters say they are prepared to extend negotiations with the studios further into the month, but the AMPTP must step up its efforts if it is serious about reaching an agreement.

“Next week we hope to see the AMPTP ready to sit down at the table again and be ready to negotiate and”care“We are addressing the issues our members are facing,” the nearly 7,000-member union representing Basic Crafts said in a memo sent this afternoon.

“As we have said before, we have no intention of negotiating against ourselves,” the note added. “We are prepared to request additional dates to ensure that our members’ core priorities are heard, understood and addressed by the employer if they are not prepared to do so by July 19.”

See the full message from Teamsters/Basic Crafts below.

In the pre-Independence Day letter, Basic Crafts representatives provided an update on the status of recent negotiations with the organization led by Carol Lombardini and their concerns about how things could get out of hand. “We expect that in the coming weeks, the companies will attempt to use fear tactics against the reasonable terms our members are fighting for in these negotiations,” a Teamsters Local 399 spokesperson said of the negotiating committee led by Hollywood Teamsters leader Lindsay Dougherty.

After several weeks of on-and-off negotiations, the two sides did not meet Wednesday, Deadline has learned. The sides decided not to meet for the remainder of the week because of the July 4 holiday. With the basic trades contract set to expire July 31, the basic trades — Teamsters Local 399, LiUNA! Local 724, IBEW Local 40, OPCMIA Local 755 and UA Local 78 — and AMPTP signed an agreement to resume negotiations on July 8.

With the IATSE securing a tentative deal in recent weeks for a new Los Angeles-centric base agreement and a regional standards agreement, a base agreement for the crafts is the final piece of the Hollywood labor puzzle for the immediate future. With wage increases very close to those won by SAG-AFTRA last fall to end its strike, the IATSE deal, which must be ratified by a vote of the membership, has all but eliminated the threat of a strike for the anemic industry.

The priorities that the Hollywood Teamsters and Basic Crafts have outlined in their talks include improved working conditions and higher wages. Add to that some IATSE guidelines and contributions to pension and health funds, and the Basic Crafts position is very similar to some of the high-priority demands that IATSE has also been pushing.

Here is the full statement from the Teamsters:

Hollywood Basic Crafts and AMPTP have concluded discussions for this week. Yesterday, we received counterproposals from companies for our Basic Crafts, 399 Black Book, and 399 Location Manager general proposals. While AMPTP enjoys a long holiday weekend, Hollywood Basic Crafts will continue to work on our counterproposals to be ready for discussions to resume on Monday, July 8th. Our current dates are scheduled for July 19th, with all Basic Crafts agreements set to expire on July 31st.

Following the announcement of the IATSE tentative agreements last week, we have seen a continued outpouring of support from unions, guilds, and members of the Hollywood workforce. As our negotiations continue, we are grateful to know that we are not alone in this fight and that our members’ core priorities are being and will continue to be advocated for across the Hollywood union.

We expect the companies to try, in the coming weeks, to use fearmongering tactics against the reasonable terms our members are fighting for in these negotiations. As crew unions that make up a large portion of Hollywood’s working class, these companies can and should respect their drivers, electricians, laborers, location professionals, plasterers, caterers, plumbers, pet trainers/sitters and many others. Our members will not be the ones left holding the books for the company’s poor business decisions over the past year.

Next week we hope to see the AMPTP ready to sit down at the table again and be ready to negotiate and “care“We are aware of the issues our members are facing. As we have said before, we have no intention of negotiating against ourselves. We are prepared to ask for additional dates to ensure that our members’ core priorities are heard, understood and addressed by the employer if they are not prepared to do so by July 19.